Nonbleaching solid seasoning composition



Patented Mar. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES NONBLEACHING SOLID SEASONING Q COMPOSITION Carroll L. Griifith and Lloyd A. Hall, Chicago, 111., assignors to The Griffitn Laboratories, Inc.,

Chicago,

111., a corporation of Illinois No Drawing. Application June 16, 1934, Serial No. 730,909

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to a flavoring composition con aining oleo-resin of capsicum and a chloride of an alkali metal. It has particular reference to a solid composition in which 6 there are crystals of a chloride salt, with or without other solid particles, as a vehicle, or base, or carrier, for oleo-resin of capsicum with or Without other flavoring materials, particularly essential oils.

In flavoring meats for use in sausages, frankfurters, bologna, meat-loaf and the like, it is customary to use prepared seasonings which are derived from the natural substances, but which are devoid of fiber from the natural sources. Essential oils, extracts, oleo-resins, and like substances are compounded with a suitable solid carrier, to form a bulky granular mass compounded specially with reference to certain formulas. Sugar is a common vehicle for such a carrier. Salt is desirable, but in some instances it is I avoided as will hereinafter appear. Sugar may create too much sweetness. Salt alone, or mixtures of salt and sugar, or salt and other substance may be used in certain cases. However, when oleo-resin of capsicum is present, sodium chloride is undesirable. The combination without a suitable correcting agent leads to a slow bleaching out of the color of the capsicum. Bleaching occurs in the absence of essential oils, but it is even greater when essential oils are present. The present invention applies a corrective agent permitting use of various combinations without the undesirable bleaching.

Oleo-resin of capsicum on exposure to air has an increasing acid content. It is apparently a condition caused by oxidation in which acid substance is formed. Such capsicum has a characteristic red-orange color by which its presence is indicated to the eye. This color has a valuable 40 function of indicating to the trade the use of natural capsicum substance, and of capsicum in oleo-resin form.

Functionally, salt in the vehicle may be used. But commercially, wher" a seasoning ingredient having sodium chloride and a colored oleo-resin of capsicum is an 'item of commerce, there are conditions which bar such mixtures from successful use in trade. A composition containing sodium chloride and colored oleo-resin of capsicum is originally of a uniform capsicum color. On standing for several months the color bleaches out. The bleaching is first noticeable in about three weeks. The parts most exposed to air bleach first, and faster, thus giving an appearance of great change, and of irregular change.

The product may be mottled in various shades of color from: the original capsicum color to a highly bleached capsicum color. All these changes create in the mind of the user a prejudice to the material. Complaints of spoilage may arise. The user is fearful of loss of, strength and hence in fear that he cannot make a standard meat product from such a composition designed to meet his regular formulas.

Commercially, these compositions also have essential oils of spices. These are aromatic substances of which the active principles are identified as certain types of chemical compounds having reactive groups, such as aldehydes, phenols, alcohols, ketones, terpenes, and derivatives of these such as esters. For example oil of cloves has eugenol, a phenol. Oil of cassia contains cinnamic aldehyde. Terpenes occur in oils of sage, thyme, juniper. Terpineol is found in oil of lemon. Alcohols such as borneol and linalol are found in oil of coriander. N-decylic aldehyde occurs also in oil of coriander.

The present invention is based upon the discovery that acid or other reactive constituent in I the oleo-resin of capsicum, or in other oleoresins, or in other oils or materials which are present originally when the seasoning composition is made, or acids which may be later formed, I have a certain action in the presence of chloride salt, to form some active substance capable of bleaching the color imparted to the seasoning composition by the original oleoresin of capsicum. The intermediate reactions involved are not fully comprehended, nor are they material. On the basis that it occurs always in the presence of acid coupled with the presence of a chloride salt and of oleo-resin of capsicum to produce a bleaching condition evidenced by change in appearance, the present invention aims to overcome this condition by adding a suitable corrective agent which prevents the bleaching, and hence the change in appearance. 1

The object of the present invention is to use organic alkali substance to neutralize acid which is present or is formed in the seasoning composition containing chloride and oleo-resin of capsicum.

A particular object -of the invention is to use an amine, such as an ethanol amine, preferably triethanolamine, as an agent to neutralize acidity.

It is another object of the inventionto make a solid flavoring composition, containing oleoresin of capsicum and sodium chloride particles which are specially produced in special powderlike microscopically crystalline form, as the whole or as part of the solid base for flavoring ingredients.

In using an organic alkali numerous organic amines are available which are not harmful in foods in the quantities employed. The ethanol amines, such as mono di-, and tri-ethanolamines are the most common suitable ones, but this list is not an exclusive one.

Organic bases of the character described counteract the acid initially present, or formed,

either in the oleo-resins or oils, or as a result of action of such acids on the chloride. 1 Amines also have the power of uniting with phenols and aldehydes. Whether or not the amines in the present invention unite with or tend to unite with aldehydes and phenols which may be present is not known. However, it is known that the amine is effective to prevent the creation of bleaching conditions. It is also possible that the tendency to unite with phenols and aldehydes renders the amine a sort of fixing agent to fix the certain volatile ingredients in the composition. The amines are derivatives of ammonia and even though three organic radicals are attached to the nitrogen of the ammonia molecule, the so substituted molecule still has the power of uniting with acids to form salts, such as triethanol amine borate, acetate, chloride, etc. In the present invention it functions to form a salt of what free acid is available. Where the amine may be combined with other active ingredients, the union may be broken up by action of the acid, thereby to release the amine for union with the acid and to release the said active ingredientsfor normal use.

Herein, where the term triethanol amine is referred to, the commercial material of that designation is meant. This is not the pure tertiary amine, but is a mixture which also contains some diethanolamine, and some monoethanol amine. A typical average analysis is:

- Percent Triethanolamine '70-'75 Diethanolamine 20-25 Monoethanolamine -5 Because a chloride such as sodium chloride is herein made a new ingredient in successful seasoning compositions, some attention may advantageously be given to it. Heretofore, so far as known, such compositions of unsuccessful nature wherein sodium chloride salt has been em ployed have been made with sodium chloride crystals, produced by grinding of large crystals, or produced by crystallization processes from a mother brine or in other words, from ordinary commercial sodium chloride.

According to one feature of the present invention the form of the salt may be improved to give an improved character to the composition. This improvement in the mass is greatest when all or a very large proportion of base or vehicle is sodium chloride. The common crystal form of sodium chloride is first destroyed by dissolving the salt in water to form a strong brine. The brine is then subjected in subdivided form, as a spray or a thin film, to a rapid or flash" evaporation process whereby new salt particles are obtained having a more beneficial form for use in the present invention.

The preferred manner of forming the salt base is to make a brine of about 27% sodium chloride. This is heated to about 180 F. and is sprayed or splashed onto hot revolving rolls or drur'ns having a temperature of about 285" F. to 300 F. A

fine powder forms on the rolls which falls off or is scraped off. The powder appears to the eye as amorphous, but in fact it is microscopically crystalline. To the fingers it feels soft and flaky and unlike ground salt crystals. In the microscope it indicates the presence of the usual cubic crystal lattice of sodium chloride. der form provides a high specific surface for holding the seasoning ingredients, making a higher maximum safe capacity for liquid additions without settling of liquid from solid. The

fine powder form also provides more spaces of capillary proportions in which liquid and semiliquid substance may be housed.

The use of a corrective agent in the original composition makes it permissible to increase the contact area between sodium chloride and the material containing the oleo-resin of capsicum. In the absence of such corrective agent the use of the improved crystal form would only hasten the undesirable bleaching action.

Of course, the invention is not limited to use of salt made as above described. Ordinary salt grains, or ground forms of salt crystals may be used. Ordinary salt crystals may be ground in. the presence of other material, preferably all of the material, which is to enter into the ultimate composition. Sugar, which is a normal seasoning ingredient, or other crystals, also may be present with or without employment of such grinding step.

In selecting salt, it is desirable to use a pure salt or one which is not so impure as to have the property of absorbing moisture from the air, or

from other materials. This tends to dissolve salt and to provide a medium for easy distribution of acid or other soluble substance which is efiective in bleaching. Where the salt is made into powder form by the hot rolls as above described, it is desirable to let it stand exposed to the air for a sufficient length of time to allow the salt powder to arrive at an equilibrium condition, as to moisture content. Thus caking of the ultimate mass may be prevented. However, where some residual moisture is left in the salt or is allowed to accumulate in the salt, a suitable agent may be added which prevents undue caking.

Glycerin or corn sugar may advantageously be mixed into the salt-base mass as a protective agent to any tendency to cake. Such addition is more particularly desirable where the fine powder-like particles of sodium chloride are used. When glycerin is so used, it acts as a fixative agent to dissolve volatile material and lessen loss of it by evaporation. Fixative agent other than glycerin or its equivalent such as well known edible or harmless fats and oils may be employed in place of or in combination with glycerinto secure the well known advantages of such use singly, or the use as so combined. Such functions are known in the Allen Patent No. 1,829,431, and in the application of Carroll L. Griflith (joint applicant herein), Serial No. 519,686, filed March 2, 1931, now Patent No. 1,971,910, issued August 28, 1934.

It is not intended to indicate that the acid which acts upon the chloride arises entirely, or at all necessarily, in the oleo-resin of capsicum. Other oils or other substances may be present which in themselves are sufficiently acid, or which on standing in a seasoning composition may produce an acid condition suflicient to act in the presence of chloride and thereby produce the said bleaching condition evidenced by the change of color in the oleo-resin of capsicum.

The fine pow- While it is not known exactly what the conditions are, it is evident that the oleo-resin of capsicum, with or without other flavoring ingredients, in the absence of chloride is not bleached. The non-bleaching action of an uncorrected mixture may be rapid or slow and frequently becomes apparent in about three weeks. It is usually complete in a few months. It is therefore possible that a trace of chlorine is gradually released, and as it is used up to bleach, more is formed. It is also possible that the chloride, or even hydrochloric acid, or the chlorine ion is a catalyst for an air oxidation to bleach the mass. At least, it is known that the presence of an organic neutralizing agent of the amine character is eifective to prevent the bleaching.

Suitable compositions are given below and these may be made in the several manners above described, and preferably from the salt powder or the processed salt above described. Where considerable liquid, specially the essential oils, is used, the amine may first be dispersed in the oils. The ingredients are thoroughly milled together in any suitable way.

Example I Percent Sodium chloride (processed) 94.80 Triethanol amine .60 Glycerin 1.25 Cleo-resins of capsicum 2.10 Essential oils of spices 1.25

Example II (Bologna) Parts Sodium chloride 1600 Triethanolamine '7 Glycerin 24 Cleo-resin of capsicum 31.25 Essential oils of spices (blended for bologna) 47.25

Variations in formulas have been made in which the base or vehicle is one-half spray milk powder and one-half salt; and in which there are 4 parts of salt to one part of corn sugar.

Among the common flavoring materials used where meats are to be flavored are oleo-resin of ginger, oil of coriander, oil of nutmeg, oil of cloves, oil of cassia, oil of allspice, oil of ginger, and yet others. y

It is, of course, to be understood that the formulas may be changed in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The method .of preventing a mixture containlng colored oleo-resins of capsicumand solid sodium chloride from early bleaching out in respect to the color of said oleo-resins, which comprises intimately mixing said chloride, said oleoresins of capsicum, and a substance having available therein organic amine for neutralization of acid.

2. A solid seasoning composition containing in combination sodium chloride, colored oleo-resins of capsicum, and substance having available therein organic amine for neutralizing acid,

whereby the action of said amine avoids early bleaching of the color of said oleo-resins of capsicum.

' 3. A solid seasoning composition containing es.- sential oils and a combination of sodium chloride, colored oleo-resins of capsicum, and substance having available therein organic amine for neutralizing acid, whereby the action of said amine avoids early bleaching of the color of said oleoresins of capsicum.

4. A solid seasoning composition containing in combination sodium chloride, colored oleo-resins of capsicum, and ethanol amine, whereby the amine may react with acid to avoid early bleaching of the color of said oleo-resins of capsicum.

5. A solid seasoning composition containing in combination sodium chloride, colored oleo-resins of capsicum, and monoethanol amine, whereby the amine may react with acid to avoid early bleaching of the color .of said oleo-resins of capsicum.

6. A solid seasoning composition containing in combination sodium chloride, colored oleo-resins of capsicum, and diethanolamine, whereby the amine may react with acid to avoid early bleaching of the color of said oleo-resins of capsicum.

7. A solid seasoning composition containing in combination sodium chloride, colored oleo-resins of capsicum, and triethanolamine, whereby the amine may react with acid to avoid early bleaching of the color of said oleo-resins of capsicum.

8. A solid seasoning composition containing in combination sodium chloride, colored oleo-resins of capsicum, and a mixture of ethanol amines, whereby the amine may react with acid to avoid early bleaching of the color of said oleo-resins of capsicum.

9. A solid seasoning composition containing essential oils, a fixative therefor, and the combination of sodium chloride, colored oleo-resins of capsicum, and a substance having available or- I ganic amine, whereby action of the alkali avoids early bleaching of the color of said oleo-resins of capsicum.

10. A solid seasoning composition containing essentially as a solid vehicle base or carrier finely divided sodium chloride, and containing the essential combination therewith of colored oleoresins of capsicum and available organic amine for neutralizing acid, whereby action of said amine avoids early bleaching of the color of said oleo-resins of capsicum.

11. A solid flavoring composition containing combination-with sodium chloride and available ethanol amine for neutralizing acid', whereby said oleo-resins of capsicum are substantia 'nonbleachable.

CARROLL L. GRIFFITH. LLOYD A. HALL. 

